President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree granting Russian citizenship to legendary French actor Gerard Depardieu though it is unclear if the film star had made an official application.

Depardieu recently renounced his French citizenship ahead of plans by the socialist government to introduce a 75 percent tax rate on annual earnings over the million euro mark. Russia has a fixed income tax rate of 13 percent.

The actor has moved to the Belgian border town of Nechin. He is quoted has saying he could count on three countries to welcome him: Belgium, Montenegro and Russia.

The 64-year-old has a close relationship with controversial Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov.

But the so called “super-tax” in France may not be introduced as the French Constitutional Council last week censured the measure. Gerard Depardieu has said the ruling would make “no difference” to him.